Scallops are like candy from the sea. Soft, sweet, and buttery, they are truly a treat. While easy to cook, they take a tiny bit of finesse to cook perfectly, but once you have learned how, you will add these to your repertoire. This dish is bright and luscious, a hyped-​up version of the (sometimes) gloppy chicken piccata I grew up with. I like to use Meyer lemons to make homemade preserved lemons, but store-bought preserved lemons will work.

Ingredients

• 12 large sea scallops, just over 1 lb. (U10s are the really nice big ones)
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable or other neutral oil
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup good dry white wine.
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 Tablespoon shallot, very small dice
• 2 Tablespoons chopped preserved lemon rind
• 1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed thoroughly
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh flat-​leaf parsley

Procedure

1. Clean the scallops by removing the “foot,” the small adductor muscle on the side of the shellfish and pat dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Have a paper towel-​lined plate ready to go.
2. Place a large stainless-​steel or cast-​iron sauté pan over high heat and add your oil.
3. When the oil starts to shimmer, arrange your scallops in the pan, being careful not to place them close together. Make sure there is an inch between them; if your pan is not big enough to accommodate all 12, you will need to sear in two batches or two pans.
4. Lower the heat to medium-​high and sear for 1 minute without touching or moving the scallops.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan. This will help brown the scallops, but you want to have already seared them and have them turning golden BEFORE you add the butter. Do NOT flip the scallops.
6. Sear for 1 more minute and turn off the heat. Remove the scallops from the pan, using tongs, and set them, seared side UP, on the paper towel-​lined plate.
7. Next, you are going to build your sauce in the pan. Turn the heat to medium and add the white wine, lemon juice, and water to the pan. Let the liquid come to a simmer.
8. Add the shallot, preserved lemon, capers, and oregano, simmer for 30 seconds, and add the remaining tablespoon of unsalted butter. Swirl around the pan to emulsify the butter and add the chopped parsley.
9. Turn off your heat and add the scallops back to the pan, uncooked side down. Let them hang out in the sauce for a minute and plate them, using tongs. Pour the sauce over the top of the scallops.